Lalong visit Plateau NUJ Secretariat on the Spot Assessment of ongoing projects

Pam Moses

Plateau State Governor and Chairman Northern Governors Forum Barr. Simon Lalong has expressed his commitment in creating a conducive working environment for Journalists to operate in the state.

He said Journalists are critical partners in the promotion of government policies and programmes as well as the growth of democracy in the world.

Lalong stated this on Wednesday when he visited Plateau State NUJ Secretariat Jos for an on the spot assessment of the ongoing construction of the Press Centre.

He said the NUJ mean a lot to him having had his best interview in 2014 which sell him to the political space in the state that finally crown him victorious as the Governor of the State.

“My coming is a follow-up to our discussion with you people at Government House. I appreciate the contributions of Journalists in the state since my assumption office, Journalists are critical partners in the implementation of our policies and programmes.

“This is where I had my best interview in 2014 before I became Governor of Plateau State and I made so many promises which I am working towards completing them.

“I have gone round and see the ongoing work and I am very much satisfy with the level of work. The remaining things as mentioned, you know what I can do.”

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Plateau State Council Comrade Paul Jatau represented by the Vice Chairman Comrade Mrs. Ayuku Pwaspo appreciated the Governor for being the first to have come to the aid of the NUJ since 1983.

The Chairman appealed to the Governor to also consider the landscaping as well as the furniture of the Secretariat which was not captured in the initial contract.

The Project Manager, Engr. Yarima Balami said they have so far recieved two payments inline with the old contract sum, but appealed for the Governor to considered the variation recorded as a result of the global market which affected price of building materials in the completion of the project.

“The project was bidded in 2018 and was to be delivered in 16 months, but because of COVID-19 and the lockdowns it was not possible for us to finished the project according to the time frame.

“The project was over N32 million, but we recorded a lot of varistions in the prices of building materials, cement among other amounting to almost N50 million naira and we are appealing to the Governor to considered our application which is before for payment as they promised to delivered the project in two months”.